Change WordPress Permalinks without 404 Errors

Bloggers usually are very much willing to post and earn money that they forget the other basic configurations. One of the most common mistake they make is of not changing the Permalinks initially as they require. Here’s an easy tutorial to change WordPress Permalinks structure and redirect the old links to new ones using Plugin to prevent 404 errors.

What happens on changing Post Permalinks?

All posts go to a new address.

Old post links will return 404 error.

You’ll search traffic will get 404 error and not what they were looking for.

Search engines will hate you. They don’t like 404 errors.

You’ll lose your Backlinks.

So, what to do?

I’d recommend you to think again and more deeply. Is the change really very much needed? If you still believe that you really need the change, just follow the steps to redirect your old permalinks to the new one. Although there might be other plugins available too, but I like Dean’s Permalinks Migration Plugin because of its simplicity. Here’s how to redirect your old permalinks using the plugin.

Now, goto admin panel->options->PermalinksMigration and set the old permalink (present) structure of your blog.

Now, goto admin panel->options->Permalinks and change the new permalink structure to what you want.

You’re Done!! Your old links will point to the new links.

What does the Plugin Do? Nothing much! It just 301 redirects the old post link to the new one. The 301 redirection code means Permanently Moved. So, search engines will start to show new links instead of the old ones. But, it will take sometime (month or so).